Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Delish Dumplings

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: Oh dumplings, we love you so. Today's little pleasing pouches were filled with a crazy, off-the-cuff garbanzo paste, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and faux pork in a soy sauce and rice vinegar sauce. Topped with chopped scallions, toasted sesame oil, and a touch of extra soy sauce, these dumplings were—like so many meals here at the VNHQ—a unique marriage of inspiration and available ingredients. A crisp side salad of romaine lettuce, avocado, tomato, and cucumber was a nice balance to the doughiness of the dumplings.

The Goods: While enjoying today's radiant sunshine and munching on the lovely lunch you see pictured above, we got to talking about the history of San Francisco, and, in particular, all the great attractions that used to be right in our neighborhood. Playland, the Sutro Baths, and a host of other summertime entertainments once stood just steps from where we are today. Talking about all the old-timey fun got us to wondering: what's your favorite part of your city? Where is the place you head to at the first sign of a summer's day?